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23 April 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer
Wihan Victor
Wihan Victor, opening batsman of the Kovsie cricket team, was the fourth-highest run scorer at the National Club
The first cricket team of the University of the Free State (UFS) ended the National Club Championship in Pretoria in fifth position, officially making them the country’s fifth-best club-cricket team for the 2018/2019 season. 

They secured two wins – over the Madibaz and Impala – in five matches.

The Kovsies, without two of their stars, Marno van Greunen and Sean Whitehead – due to work and study commitments – ended the tournament on a high on Wednesday 17 April 2019. They thumped Impala, the Gauteng representative, by an emphatic nine wickets on the final day.

The winning margin against the Madibaz was six wickets.

The UFS, who did not qualify for last year’s champs, bowled Impala out for 144 in 33 overs. Wizzard Ncedane led a fine bowling display. The medium-pacer claimed 3 for 49. He was well-supported by Siphamandla Mavanda (2/8), Christo van Staden (2/9), and captain AJ van Wyk (2/33). 

Breezy half-centuries from Wihan Victor (53 off 52 balls, 8 fours) and Stephan van Vollenhoven (54 off 40 balls, 7 fours, 1 six) then powered the Knights representatives to victory with more than 30 overs to spare.

Victor, an opening batsman, ended as the UFS top run scorer. He scored 204 runs in five innings at an average of 51.

Only three other batsmen at the tournament scored more runs.

Wizard was the pick of the bowlers. He claimed eight wickets for 132 runs in four innings at an average of 16,5 and a strike rate of 24,5. His eight scalps were the joint second most at the tournament.



News Archive

Heart-valve studies receive international recognition
2017-07-11

 Description: Heart-valve studies Tags: Heart-valve studies  

Prof Francis Smit, Head of the Department of
Cardiothoracic Surgery at the UFS, and Manager of the
Robert WM Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre, with
Kyle Davis, Mechanical Engineer at the centre.
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

Three heart-valve studies which have been developed at the Robert WM Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre at the School of Medicine at the University of the Free State (UFS) were recently presented in Monte Carlo at the conference of the prestigious global Heart Valve Society (HVS).

These studies are all headed by Prof Francis Smit, Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the UFS, and Manager of the Robert WM Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre.
Prof Smit says the HVS is a combination of the former heart-valve societies of Europe and the US. “Studies on heart-valve disease, heart-valve-related products and operations, as well as the design and development of new valves were presented. There are both clinical and development divisions.

He says the study in which the hemodynamics of their redesigned mechanical poppet valve was compared to a commercial bi-leaflet mechanical heart valve, was named as the best poster presentation in the experimental valve development and numerical flow dynamics division. The study, which was presented by Kyle Davis, mechanical engineer at the centre, competed against some of the best heart-valve research units in the world.

The redesigned valve, based on the 1960s Cape Town poppet valve, has the potential to provide a low-cost solution for mechanical heart-valve replacement. It is possible to produce the titanium ring with 3-D printers and is, together with the silicon poppet valve, extremely inexpensive compared to current mechanical valve-manufacturing processes.
The advantages of this valve over current mechanical valves is that, due to the effective and laminar flow characteristics, as well as the simple locking mechanisms, there is a reduced chance of valve thrombosis, and the need for anti-clotting drugs is therefore limited.

It was also confirmed that the new valve more than meets the published FDA (Federal Drug Agency) requirements, which determine the minimum standards of valves for human use in the US.

The redesigned valve also has a very low platelet activation impact, which is responsible for platelet thrombosis and leads to valve thrombosis or strokes. This valve is another heart-valve project by the centre, which is also in the process of evaluating a tri-leaflet polyurethane valve developed by them.


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